Lobelia plant named ‘KLELE20100’

ABSTRACT

A new Lobelia plant particularly distinguished by a semi-upright and freely branching growth habit, medium vigor, and violet-blue flowers with white centers, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Lobelia erinus.

Variety denomination: ‘KLELE20100’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Lobelia, botanically known as Lobelia erinus, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘KLELE20100’. ‘KLELE20100’ originated from a controlled cross-pollination in Summer 2015 in Stuttgart, Germany between the proprietary female Lobelia variety ‘LE-2015-5141’ (unpatented) and the proprietary male Lobelia variety ‘LE-2012-0015’ (unpatented).

The seeds from the cross were sown and plants were grown in a greenhouse for evaluation, where an individual plant designated ‘KLELE20100’ was selected from the group. ‘KLELE20100’ was first vegetatively propagated via apical vegetative cuttings. ‘KLELE20100’ was found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via apical vegetative cuttings.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Stuttgart, Germany.

-   -   1. A semi-upright and freely branching growth habit;     -   2. Medium vigor; and     -   3. Violet-blue flowers with white centers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new Lobelia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photograph which shows the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, and flowers. The photograph is of a 4-month-old plant grown in a glass greenhouse in Stuttgart, Germany in March 2021. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘KLELE20100’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Stuttgart, Germany. Data was collected on 8-week-old plants grown in a greenhouse in Stuttgart, Germany in May 2021. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 5^(th) edition (2007).

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Campanulaceae.         -   Botanical.—Lobelia erinus.         -   Common.—Lobelia.         -   Designation.—‘KLELE20100’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—The proprietary female Lobelia variety             ‘LE-2015-5141’ (unpatented).         -   Male parent.—The proprietary male Lobelia variety             ‘LE-2012-0015’ (unpatented). -   Growth:     -   -   Growth and branching habit.—Semi-upright, freely branching.         -   Form.—Triangular.         -   Height (measured from the top of the soil including any             flowers).—17.0 cm.         -   Width (horizontal plant diameter, including any             flowers).—26.0 cm.         -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—8 weeks.         -   Outdoor plant performance.—Good.         -   Time to initiate roots.—2 to 3 weeks.         -   Root description.—Fine, white roots, freely branching, and             dense. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Color.—Immature Leaf: Upper surface: RHS 137A (Green). Lower             surface: RHS N138B (Green). Mature Leaf: Upper surface: RHS             137A (Green). Lower surface: RHS N138B (Green).         -   Length.—5.0 cm to 6.0 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Texture (both surfaces).—Smooth.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Venation color.—Upper surface: Transparent, R.H.S. color not             available. Lower surface: RHS 137B (Green). -   Stems:     -   -   Length.—15.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Internode length.—1.0 cm to 2.0 cm.         -   Color.—RHS N137C (Green).         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Stem anthocyanin.—Absent.         -   Peduncle.—Length: 1.0 cm to 3.0 cm. Diameter: 0.05 cm.             Texture: Smooth. Color: RHS N137C (Green). -   Flower buds:     -   -   Shape.—Inverse drop-shaped.         -   Diameter.—0.25 cm to 0.3 cm.         -   Length.—0.8 cm to 1.0 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 138D (Green). -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Blooming habit.—Continuous.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on plant.—Approximately 1             week.         -   Fragrance.—Absent.         -   Inflorescence type.—Raceme.         -   Quantity of flowers and buds per flowering branch.—8 to 10. -   Flowers:     -   -   Flower diameter (horizontal).—About 2.0 cm.         -   Flower height (vertical).—0.5 cm to 0.6 cm.         -   Mature flower.—Upper lobe: Color, upper surface: Between RHS             95A (Violet-Blue) and RHS 95B (Violet-Blue). Length: 0.7 cm.             Width: 0.3 cm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Mucronate. Margin:             Entire. Texture (both upper and lower surfaces): Smooth, but             upper surface also has very short hairs along the margins.             Lower lobe: Color, upper surface: Between RHS 95A             (Violet-Blue) and RHS 95B (Violet-Blue). Color, lower             surface: RHS 94A (Violet-Blue). Length: 1.2 cm. Width:             0.8 cm. Shape: Orbicular. Apex: Mucronate. Margin: Entire.             Texture (both upper and lower surfaces): Smooth.         -   Corolla tube.—Color inside: RHS N155D (White). Color             outside: RHS N155D (White) with RHS 94A (Violet-Blue)             stripes. Tube length: 0.7 cm. Diameter: 0.5 cm.         -   Calyx.—Length: 1.0 cm (can include an additional 0.4 cm for             the fused part). Diameter: 0.2 cm (measured at the fusion             point). Shape: Composed of 5 narrowly triangular single             leaflets forming a star shaped calyx fused in the lower             quarter. Apex: Narrowly acute. Texture: Smooth. Color: RHS             137A (Green). -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamens.—Quantity per flower: 5. Filament length: 0.7 cm.             Filament color: RHS 97B (Violet-Blue). Anther length:             0.8 cm. Anther width: 0.1 cm. Anther color: Close to RHS 94A             (Violet-Blue). Pollen color: RHS 3D (Yellow). Pollen amount:             Sparse.         -   Pistils.—Stigma color: RHS N89B (Violet-Blue) for immature             and mature color not observed. Style length: 0.8 cm. Style             color: RHS 147C (Yellow-Green). Ovary color: RHS 145C             (Yellow-Green). Ovary shape: Ovate. -   Fruit and seed set: Fruit and seed set not observed. -   Disease and pest/insect resistance: No disease and pest/insect     resistance observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘KLELE20100’ can be distinguished from its parents as described in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female Parent Male Parent Characteristic ‘KLELE20100’ ‘LE-2015-5141’ ‘LE-2012-0015’ Habit Semi-upright Horizontal Vigor Medium Compact Compact

‘KLELE20100’ is most similar to the commercial Lobelia variety ‘KLELE13407’ (unpatented) and also known as ‘Compact Dark Blue’. Differences between the varieties are described in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘KLELE20100’ ‘KLELE13407’ Vigor Medium Low Earliness to Earlier than Approximately 1 flower ‘KLELE13407’ week later than ‘KLELE20100’ 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Lobelia plant designated ‘KLELE20100’ as illustrated and described herein. 